I did not vote for Palin and thought she was a bimbo and totally unqualified to be Vice President or President. I enthusiastically cast my vote for Barack Obama. However, I do believe that what then candidate Obama said in an interview is what the media should adhere to: "My family is off limits."

Can you imagine the outcry if a conservative comedian had called Michelle Obama a "slutty stewardess" or made a joke about Alex Rodriquez having sex with Sasha or Malia Obama? The outrage would be justifiably overwhelming.

Palin was totally unqualified for higher office but that does not give anyone license to go after her children. Tina Fey's humor on Saturday Night Live was brilliant but it never went over the line and called the candidate a "slut" and never attacked her children. For any person to make lewd jokes about any candidates children, from the left or the right, should be totally unacceptable.

Some of the folks on the left hate Palin so much that they stupidly defend Letterman. They are wrong. We need more civility in our society, as Obama has called for many times. We can agree to disagree but we can do so without resorting to character assasination of someone we don't like - especially someone elses children.

No question the joke was out of line. But the way people keep bringing up the "but they're just a candidate's children" angle ignores entirely that Bristol is a public figure now. She was paraded about as a symbol of family values during the campaign, and now gives interviews and does public abstinence advocacy. She's not off-limits for ridicule anymore. Her younger sister and her other siblings, of course, still ought to be.

I agree...but I find few who are "defending Letterman". More often just pointing out the hypocrisy and BLATENT gamesmanship of Palin and her supporters (all 15 apparently).

Like her final acceptance of his apology where she invoked "our fighting men and women defended our freedoms and his freedom to say such things".....Geez Louise, who is that supposed to fool???

I will gladly defend Letterman. He did nothing wrong. He joked about an 18 YEAR OLD single mother, the most famous single mother on the planet.

Trying to draw an analogy between joking about the world's most famous 18 year old single mother and joking about Malia and Sasha is idiotic. These girls are under 12. Bristol Palin is an adult. And if you believe the nonsense that Letterma's joke was a reference to the 14 year old, then you're just plain stupid. Sorry, but its true. Get some help.

And joking that Palin looks like a "slutty stewardess" is funny because its true. That's why people laughed at the joke. It wouldn't have worked if he's made the same joke about Michelle Obama, because that's not the way Michelle Obama dresses. Believe me, the second she makes a bad clothing choice, the late night comedians will be all over her.

Whether or not Letterman was funny is besides the point. This whole argument is constructed as a battle between to political extremes - Palin on one side and Letterman on the other side.

What side is that? Letterman is not a Democrat. Letterman is not a Liberal. Letterman is not a spokesman for anyone or anything.

Letterman is a comedian whose writing staff often has him reference the genitalia of squirrels living in Central Park. Letterman's staff also has him make jokes about the short and almost non-existant daliance between Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky even though that occured twelve years ago.

If no one is defending Dave's jokes about the Palin Family it is not because they were not funny (personally, I am not a big fan of that random celebrity cross reference style of joke that is so popular on late night television) or because there was some line crossed by Letterman.

Nobody is defending him because there is no relevance.

Who really cares, when in the public eye you are open to jokes and critical comments.There are more important things in this world to worry about than what a late night talk show host has to say.When in politics unfortunately you are fair game to talk show hosts and the press. Sometimes the best response is no response and thus you are not adding fuel to the fire.

I think Palin is unqualified to be President, although she seems to be very popular as Governor in Alaska, so she must be doing something right there. Every candidate has their children with them during campaigns. Obama did. Clinton did. Bush did.

Palin did not bring to the media information about her daughter's pregnancy. The media investigated it first and brought it into the public view.

Either all candidates children are prey to vicious or mean-spirited attacks or none of them are.

Your standards are clearly biased. If you never find yourself standing for the rights of those you personally disagree with, that is probably a sign that you are the one standing ready to trample the rights of others...

The attack on family is wrong. Remember when news media poke fun and Chelsie Clinton, and continued through out the Hillary run for president. I also voted for Obama, and you are right no one would be able to say anything about his family without an uproar.

As for Palin being a bimbo, dont think so. Again, she handles the press very similar to Obama, she has a good sense of humor and is not afraid to take on issues. Only problem she is a woman.

I wish her the best and to continue to comeout fighting.

I have never seen someone ;palin make so much noise and says so little. she is the true meaning of an idiot and russ Limbaugh is her friend lol..... birds of a feather. ok to parade bristol around (for abstinece??) now look at her, only for her OWN benefit. she is goofy to say the least...

can you imagine if there were a serious issue? she acts like a spoiled brat sarah that is , I'm completely surprised she made it to miss alaska, let alone the govenor. what a laugh, she's an embarrassment to the United States as well as Thinking Women.

Even the republicans don't want her to speak.....sarah you're a "nut job" and that is a republican quote.

Obama does not parade his children around as palin does. palin has nothing of substance to say.

palin is the one that does stupid stuff (bristol is observing abstinece??? no birth control measures for anyone) that's the problem. telling others what they MUST do ...her beliefs pushed on others. she can not maintain her own standards, but pushes them on others a real problem when it come to credibility which she lacks in a BIG< BIG< WAY. palin = parenting on the bridge to NOWHERE...

palin pushes her "pretend values" on others and then can not live up to what she demands others do. she's a "nut job" looking for any reason to stay on TV, news.at the cost of her children, she hides behind not having anything of value to say.

I agree Letterman was wrong, but, guys, he's a comedian. I refuse to get upset about what comedians or talk show hosts say. It is their business to say controversial things. He apologized, she accepted, lets move on, nothing to see here.

Still "much ado about nothing" - from the perspective of many years of watching the comedians, looks more to me about Palin is campaigning for the 2012 election - God help us if the Republicans are so stupid as to support her.

Just a few thoughts. First of all, didn't Letterman review and think about the written joke before delivering it? Of course, he may have intended to refer to Bristol, but everyone knew it was Willow who was with her mother. Modify the joke to reflect that fact. Duh.

Secondly, let's talk about the humor of a single, young mother. How about one who is white, unmarried, 17, and has a child with a black man. Still funny? Great, then Obama and his mother are fair game. Let's fire it up comedians!! Somehow, I anticipate this is off limits. There is the double standard.

I agree with you but would like to point out that within this past week a GOP activist made a comment about Michelle Obama being related to a gorilla and republicans in both SC and TN have recently made very degrading racist remarks in regard to Obama.

Yet, for the life on me, except in liberal blogs, I have heard nothing about this in the media. The liberal media.

So, Republicans are up in arms over a comedian making a stupid joke but Republican POLITICANS (and their ilk) making racially ignorant and hurtful remarks goes unnoticed.

Interesting where their interests lie....